No Mask?
by DragonyPhoenix
Summary: Written for a prompt at Bite Sized Bits of Fic: Author's choice, unmasked


"Xan, there is no way I am watching all five seasons of Babylon 5."

From the couch, Spike watched Xander smirk and whine at the same time. "But Spike, I just got season 5 in."

Resisting the urge to break out a cigarette, Spike folded a piece of paper into a crane. He'd taken up origami as a way to protect Xander's fragile human lungs from secondhand smoke. "Yeah, and we just watched it."

"Which is why we have to go back and watch from the beginning," Xander replied quite seriously. "It's been a year since you've seen some of the episodes; you could be missing crucial information." Xander sat himself, facing Spike, on his lap and huskily added, "Come on," as he went in for a kiss.

Flipping him over onto the couch, Spike replied, "Hmmm, how about I shag you right through the floor?"

"Ouch much? It's cement under that rug."

Spike laughed and said, "Gonna shag you right through the center of the earth, all the way to China."

"So, staying in tonight?" Xander asked.

"Yeah," Spike replied, nibbling at his neck, " but not watching tv."

* * *

"Drusilla."

"Daddy?" she asked, not quite believing it. She'd seen him so many times, only to have him vanish into nothing whenever she'd reached out to touch him.

"Yeah baby, I'm back. What'd you do with Spike?"

* * *

"Let me get this straight. You're spending the night, the entire night, at Buffy's."

Xander noticed Spike's fingers twitching. "Spike, there's nothing to get upset about. We watch Bollywood movies and eat popcorn until we crash. Sadly the girls think of me as, well, as one of the girls."

"Yeah, I guess I can see that," Spike replied morosely.

"Good cause, hey! What's that supposed to mean?" he added angrily. Xander remained upset for a few moments more until he saw that Spike wasn't rising to the bait. "Hey," he said, laying a tentative hand on Spike's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"If you told them about us, I could be there too."

"Spike," Xander replied, trying to turn it into a joke. "You don't even want to watch B5 with me."

"That's not the point," Spike said, turning away from Xander.

"I'm not ready to tell them I'm gay."

"No," Spike said, turning back. "You're not ready to tell them you're dating me."

"What?" Xander said, blinking as if that would help his brain process what Spike had just said. "You really think that? Spike, come on. They've both dated demons. What's there to be shy about there?"

Relieved, Spike let his lips curl up into a smirk. "You just don't want to admit you're dating someone prettier than you."

"You are prettier than me," Xander replied confidently before breaking into babble. "Not that either of us is pretty because that's so unmanly isn't it? Ruggedly handsome. That works much better, don'tcha think?"

Rolling his eyes, Spike shushed Xander with a kiss. "Go have fun with the girls."

* * *

Seeing he'd have the night to himself, Spike went out, figuring he'd take out some of his Xander induced frustration on some demons.

"Spike?"

Angel stepped out from behind a tree but there was something off about him. Spike couldn't quite put his fingers on it but it was making him nervous. Since Xander wasn't around, he lit up a cigarette. "Angel," he replied, making himself sound confident. "Thought you were supposed to stay in LA."

Drusilla, stepping out from a crypt to Spike's left, drew his attention away from Angel. Guilt ridden soul boy wasn't half the threat she was nowadays. "Daddy's lost his mask." She giggled. "Just like somebody else. Midnight. Witching hour. All the masks come off."

Spike had spent enough years deciphering her nonsense to figure out what she meant immediately. "Angelus," he said, turning back towards the other vampire just in time to get knocked on the jaw. As the force spun Spike backwards, Angelus grabbed his arm and dragged him back, pinning his arms behind. A demon shimmered in before them. "No," Spike shouted, struggling to free himself while Angelus laughed. As the demon chanted in an arcane tongue, a glowing ball flew out of Spike and into a crystal sphere. Spike fell back against Angelus.

* * *

The next evening Spike skipped down the stairs of Xander's basement just after dusk. He could tell by the state of the place, chips everywhere and sodas opened and then left alone after two sips, that Xander had been going stir crazy all day.

Xander rushed out of the bathroom and with a, "Spike! Oh, thank God," as he grabbed Spike into a hug. Stepping back he added, "Where have you been? After our talk last night I thought you'd left because I wouldn't tell the girls, about us I mean, which would have been really ironic since I did."

"Did what?" Spike asked before his eyes grew wide. "You told them?"

"Yep," Xander grinned. "Took off my straight boy mask and told them I love you. I mean, that we're lovers," he backpedaled. "Not trying to rush you into any girly emotions here."

Spike grinned back and drew Xander in for a kiss. "It's OK Xan. I love you too."

Grabbing Xander's hand, Spike started dragging him out the door. "Come on."

"What? Hey! Where?"

Spike stopped, turned back to Xander and gave him a 'you are such an idiot' look. "Out to celebrate."

"Oh," Xander blushed. "But I don't know where Willow or Buffy," he started.

"Not with them," Spike interrupted. "Just the two of us," he added, wrapping his arms around Xander.

"Or we could celebrate here," Xander suggested.

With some effort, obviously drawn by the idea, Spike broke away. "Nope, has to be out. Come on."

Once they were in Spike's car, he held out a blindfold. Xander's eyes bugged out. "What? Out here in public? No. No way."

Spike nibbled kisses along Xander's jaw, stopping just short of his neck, which he knew was a terrible tease since it was one of Xander's most erotic zones. Catching Xander's gaze he asked, "Trust me?"

"But outside. Public," Xander stammered.

"No one will see you. Trust me?"

Xander agreed to the blindfold but kept up a steady stream of "Are we there yet?" and "Are you sure nobody can see me?" comments until Spike pulled the car over. As Xander went to remove the blindfold, Spike said, "Didn't give you permission, did I pet?"

"You're so butch today." Xander sounded nervous.

"You don't know the half of it," Spike replied honestly. "Wait there," he added as Xander started opening the car door. Coming round to the other side, Spike opened the door and helped Xander out of the car.

"Blushing, pet?"

"Anybody could see me," Xander whispered back.

After a quick laugh, which Xander obviously didn't appreciate, Spike said, "Told you already. There's nobody here to see."

He led Xander along a walkway and into a house, where their footsteps echoed. "You know, each step feels like I'm about to fall off a cliff," Xander told him.

"Hush," Spike whispered. "Trust me," and Xander did, even after he was led to a room, positioned just so, and cuffed. Pulling on the chains, which hardly let him move, he said, "Uh, Spike? We could have done this back home."

Xander sensed somebody close to him but it wasn't Spike's scent. The blindfold came off and Xander blinked against the brightness of the light until he saw Angel standing inches away from him. "What the?" Xander tried to scan the room, looking for Spike, but Angel held his head still. "You said we'd be alone," Xander shouted.

Angel stepped back and put an arm around Drusilla. Xander caught Spike's gaze as Spike, very deliberately, lit a cigarette. "No," Xander whispered, so quietly that even Spike had to read his lips to figure out what he was saying.

"Spike, got any suggestions? It's been so long since I've tortured anybody. Hell, I've never even used a chainsaw," Angelus smirked.

"You don't have a chainsaw," Spike replied, glaring at Angelus and Drusilla.

"You could go get one. Leave me and Spike here alone. Give us a chance to catch up since he seems to have gone through some changes lately," Xander babbled, hoping Spike was just going along with Angelus until he figured a way to get them out of there.

"Oh, you silly boy. Everyone's unmasked now, just in time for our fancy dress ball." After giving Spike a glance, Drusilla added, "Time for you to unmask as well, very, very soon."

Giving Xander a cryptic look, Spike walked over to Angelus and whispered, too low for Xander to hear, "Let me do it?"

"What?"

"Please, Sire," Spike asked. "I know the whelp. I know what terrifies him more than anything else. It would be short, but sweet."

Drusilla, moving her hand up to Angelus' shoulder added, "Let him." Angelus nodded, not entirely happy but willing to go along.

Pulling off his leather coat as he turned to face Xander, Spike tossed it onto the table. "So boy, you've got a choice. You're going to die, no choice there, but do I turn you afterwards or not?"

Xander stood up as straight as the chains allowed. "You know my answer."

"Guess I do at that," Spike said. He slowly unbuttoned his shirt while Xander looked on in confusion. As Spike was about halfway through, Angelus looked like he was about to interfere but Drusilla shushed him.

With an evil smirk, Spike cut a bloody line across his chest. "No," Xander shouted, tugging at the chains, desperately trying to free himself. "That's a big no to turning me and you know it."

Never taking his gaze off of Xander's torment, Spike slowly walked towards him.

"No," Xander shouted again as Spike shed his human face.

"Please," Xander cried. "If I've ever meant anything to you, please don't to this."

Spike just laughed as he bit into Xander's neck.


End file.
